


Rescued

by RoLo_Renegade



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: And He Has the Most Amazing Super Squad of Protectors, Carter Grant is Highly Underrated, Christmas, Christmas Angst, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, F/F, Such a Smol Bean of Goodness, SuperCat family, supercat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-14 19:33:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13014675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoLo_Renegade/pseuds/RoLo_Renegade
Summary: Realizing that Carter is having a hard time at school, Kara comes to Cat with an idea she believes will help him forget his worries. But what repercussions will her plan have for her relationship with Cat?





	Rescued

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xy0009](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xy0009/gifts).



Afternoon sunlight streamed across the balcony in dazzling strips, setting her skin aglow in a way that made Winn laugh at the sight.

“What?” Kara turned back toward him, every centimeter of her face brightened by curiosity.

The techie shrugged, a loping lift of his shoulders. “Nothing. Sunshine looks good on you, that’s all.”

Cheeks warming at the comment, she continued hurrying about the balcony, making sure everything was set up just right. She’d already moved the furniture around twice in an attempt to keep it in optimum range of the shifting rays. Now she was setting out all the snacks she knew were “top-shelf preferred.”

Just as his mother had her favorite go-to single malt at the end of a particularly stressful day, she knew Carter had comfort foods he craved under similar circumstances. She faithfully kept a steady supply locked away in her bottom desk drawer, refraining from eating any of them—even on days when she had to rush back to the office right after a particularly strenuous Super duty left her calorie-depleted.

Seeing Winn reaching for the bag of Maltesers, she zipped closer with just a touch too much speed and swatted his hand away. “Those are Carter’s favorite,” she chided while shifting the bag away from the encroaching sun.

With a hiss equal parts surprised and slightly pained, Winn withdrew his hand, shaking it slightly for attention. “Fine. You don’t have to break my hand. These fingers are finely tuned instruments of programming exactitude.”

Waggling a hand in front of her friend, she replied, “And one of _these_ fingers could flick you over the edge of this balcony if you touch that bag again.”

With a challenging glare, Winn poked at the bag with one finger until Kara finally broke into a fit of giggles at his goofiness. “Bluff called, Supergirl,” he whispered, eyes shimmering with glee. As he straightened the bag back to its previous position, he shrugged, “Why are you freaking out so much about the position of everything anyway?”

“Asks the guy who always notices when even one of his toys is moved on his desk.”

“Okay, once again, they aren’t toys. They are _collectibles_. And rearranging patio furniture for the better part of an hour is way more involved than moving a few figurines around a desk.”

Winn startled at the sudden deflated curve of Kara’s shoulders as she sank into the chair she’d just set down. Gesturing aimlessly with her hands, she sighed, “I just want things to be perfect for Carter. I want—I want him to be happy whenever he’s here.”

Sitting across from her, Winn’s expression morphed to match hers in seriousness. “He’s still having a rough time at school?”

“Yeah.” Eyes glistening with sadness and anger, she growled, “After what he told me the last time he was here, Alex had to talk me down from showing up at his school in the suit.”

Both she and Winn grimaced at the groan of the armrests bending beneath her grip. Cautiously, Winn reached out and steadied the hand closer to him. “Hey.” He waited for Kara to meet his gaze. “You and I both know what it was like not to fit in when we were in school. What it was like to be teased every day for being different—for all the years of feeling alien, either literally or figuratively. You think it won’t ever stop—but,” he quickly added at the sight of tears threatening to slip down Kara’s cheeks, “it _did_ stop, and it made us the amazing people we are sitting here right now.”

He brightened at the sight of Kara’s close-lipped smile. “Things are tough for Carter right now, but he’s got one advantage in his favor that I would have killed for when I was his age.”

At the curious tilt of Kara’s head, he flashed his brightest grin. “He’s got you on his side.”

The hero sniffed dismissively. “I already told you: Alex was adamant about Supergirl—”

“Not Supergirl,” he interjected. “ _You_ , Kara. It’s so obvious to everyone who sees you with him how much you care about him, and how much he adores you.” He scooted closer, voice conspiratorial. “Ms. Grant never trusted any of her other assistants with him the way she does with you—and that’s even after you nearly got him blown up!”

Another hiss, this time purely of pain, slithered from his lips at the feel of Kara punching his bicep. “Rude,” he snipped, even as amusement lit his gaze. He settled back into his chair while considering his next words. “I’ve never seen Ms. Grant place more faith in anyone than she’s placed in you, Kara.”

He loved to watch the suffusion of hopefulness that tinted her cheeks whenever anyone mentioned Cat appreciating her in any capacity. Just as Kara’s feelings for Carter were as obvious as her smile, so, too, were her feelings for the CEO. Winn often thought she was more obvious than even he was regarding _his_ office crush.

“Hey, here you are.”

As if conjured by Winn’s musings, James stepped out onto the balcony where his friends had sequestered themselves. “You know Ms. Grant would have plenty to say if she caught you two goofing around on her balcony.”

Kara snorted in protest of the teasing even as she watched Winn lose all focus at the sight of James’s bright flash of teeth. “Good thing one of us has alien ears that can hear where she is anywhere in the building.”

To be safe, she quickly focused on the CEO, confirming she was still in her meeting on the twenty-second floor. By the sound of the tight sigh she’d just released, Kara made a note to set a glass of M&Ms on Cat’s desk once she was finished on the balcony.

Perching on the armrest of a nearby chair, James focused on the techie across from him. “You’re just the guy I was looking for, Schott. I’m having a problem getting my photo editing software to load. I did some research and I think it has something to do with a corrupted plugin, but I thought I would seek out your infinite knowledge, oh Tech Guru, to make the final diagnosis.”

Winn’s cheeks grew ruddy beneath his perpetual shadow of stubble. “You are wise and wise, Olsen.” As he started to rise from his seat, he turned to the hero and whispered, “No matter what, Kara, Carter is going to be fine, because he has you.” He squeezed her hand reassuringly before jumping to his feet and happily following after the photographer.

Once her friends left, Kara took a moment to compose herself and give the balcony one more quick scan. As she finished setting out Cat’s M&Ms and shifting her favorite single malt to the front of the minibar—just in case—she caught the mechanical whir of Cat’s personal elevator and knew without further checking that Carter was on his way up. With a delighted squeak, she hurried back to her desk.

The moment the elevator doors parted, however, Kara’s joy dimmed at the sight revealed. Rather than facing forward, Carter stood with his back to the doors, staring out the window Kara knew his mother pointedly always avoided. The slight tremble of his shoulders beneath his backpack straps and the soft sniffle she caught even from where she stood warned her to proceed carefully.

Without a word, she stepped into the elevator and hit the button to take them up to the roof access. When the doors opened once more, she gently rested a hand on Carter’s shoulder, aching at the flinch she felt beneath her touch. “Come on, buddy, let’s get some fresh air, okay?”

He obediently turned under her guidance, refusing the whole time to look in her direction. Once outside, she led him to the helipad. They climbed the metal steps and moved to where they could sit and dangle their legs over the edge.

From her better angle, Kara could see the redness that lined Carter’s eyes and the semi-fresh tear tracks along his cheeks. Her heart ached at the sight. “Is it all right if I hug you, Carter?”

The only response that came was the young boy turning and leaning into Kara’s embrace, his whole body shivering with the release he had so valiantly struggled to resist until then. When his arms slipped around her in as tight a hold as he could manage, she had to bite her lip to keep her own control in-check.

As tears soaked her shoulder, she threaded her fingers through his hair and whispered promises she wished desperately she could make true.

After several moments, he pulled back, though not enough to meet Kara’s worried gaze. “I’m s-sorry.”

Hooking her finger under his chin, she leveled their gazes. “No apologies, remember?” At the feel of his nod, she pressed, “Do you want to talk about it?”

She felt the young boy deflate in her hold. “Talking doesn’t change anything.”

“Sometimes it feels better to get things out.”

“And then what?” Carter stiffened, his voice fissuring. “It won’t change anything! They’ll still make fun of me. They’ll still not want anything to do with me.”

“And it sucks.”

With a disconsolate sigh, he mumbled, “Understatement is your superpower, Kara.”

The hero made a nervous noise, her gaze flitting quickly away from his. Feeling guilty, Carter relaxed once more into her hold. “But you’re right. It does suck.”

“You still don’t want to say anything about it to your mom?”

“No.” Determination lifted his chin, lit his solemn gaze. “I know she would be down at that school in a second to protect and defend me, but in the end, she can’t fix this. Her going down there and giving school administration the ‘full Cat Grant fury’ might stop the teasing, but it won’t make anyone change their mind about being my friend—and I wouldn’t want it to anyway. Right now, they’re assholes. Who wants to be friends with assholes?”

Try though she did not to laugh, the sound still bubbled irrepressibly from her. “There really is no denying you’re Cat’s son,” she teased, pulling him closer and pressing a kiss against the top of his head when she felt his responding laugh. She rested her cheek against where she had kissed. “And you’re right: For whatever reason, they are this way right now. Just remember, people can change, Carter. The kids who are picking on you now? In a few years, they could be totally different.”

“Is that what happened with the kids who picked on you?”

“Some of them, yeah. Some of them remained jerks the rest of high school, but they were the minority.”

“Did you make friends with the ones who changed?”

Kara sighed wistfully, not wanting to discourage Carter but also not wanting to mislead him. “I did, but not many. High school was really hard for me.” Her shoulders hitched in a self-conscious shrug. “Adults at the school didn’t really know how to handle me being a foster, and kids pick up on stuff like that.”

Carter chewed at his bottom lip as he considered her reply. “So what helped you when it got too hard?”

She dipped her head bashfully. “My sister. She was my biggest defender, but she was also my biggest example of how not to care what other people thought—which subsequently came in really handy when she went through her punk phase.”

Carter gave a small laugh at Kara’s exaggerated shudder, but his eyes still shone with worry. “I wish I had someone like Alex.” He slumped forward, his thin body practically folding in two. “I wish I wasn’t so alone.”

The soft, miserable hiccup at the end of his statement continued on into more sniffles and a stream of tears that slid down his cheeks and dripped from his quivering chin.

Moving slightly faster than she knew she should, Kara jumped down from the helipad and stood before Carter. The height difference made it so Carter was nearly eye-level with the hero. She waited patiently for him to calm enough to look into her gaze.

“You’re never alone, Carter. Your mom would do anything for you.” Blush so bold it rouged even the tips of her ears, she continued, “And so would I.”

Reaching out, she tugged him once more into one of her borderline human-strength hugs. With her mouth close to his ear, she softly explained, “One of the lessons from my birth parents that I still carry with me is that family is always stronger together.”

She pulled back and lifted Carter’s chin so their gazes could connect. The young boy’s eyes swept questioningly along the features before him. “You think of me as family?”

Swallowing back the sudden surge of fear at what she was confessing, she nodded. “I consider both you and your mom as family, Carter. I would do anything for either of you.”

The hero felt the spike in her heart rate at the unexpected depth of understanding in his gaze.

_“Did anyone perchance notice where Kiera has absconded with my son?”_

“Oh, crap.”

Startled by the blonde’s exclamation, Carter queried, “What’s wrong, Kara?”

“Your mom. She’s out of her meeting and wondering where we are.”

Inquisitive blue gaze sharpened as Carter processed Kara’s statement. “How do you know all of that from here?”

The hero’s jaw moved helplessly for several beats as her brain floundered through mediocre excuses. Digging out her phone from her pocket, she made a show of checking the time while stammering, “I-I mean, she must be wondering where we are. Her meeting was scheduled to end ten minutes ago.”

“Right.” The keen edge of his voice caused Kara to shuffle in a way only one other person could ever make her do with any regularity. Unlike his mother, however, Carter refrained from pressing her into a deeper nervous state. Instead, he gave her a mildly perturbed side-eye and focused on trying to dry his face.

“Here, let me help,” the hero offered while pulling out a spare tissue she’d tucked away after having to clean off the dirt from her afternoon Super save.

At the sight of Kara pulling a tissue from her sleeve, Carter’s expression brightened with equal parts shock and laughter. “Kara, _never_ let my mom see you do that,” and he pointed toward the tissue in Kara’s hand. “She’s already decided you dress in what she’s dubbed ‘centennial chic.’ If she saw you do that, she might send you off to be carbon-dated.”

Huffing in mock offense at the statement, she used the tissue to dry Carter’s cheeks before ruffling his soft curls with her free hand. When he looked back up at her, the sight of happiness once more relaxing sadness’s hold on him filled her with relief.

“Thank you for everything, Kara.”

“Always, Carter.”

She stepped to the side to let him jump down, ready to catch him if he stumbled. He landed with a soft thump and began jogging toward the access door, the hero striding smoothly behind him.

When they exited the private elevator and began toward Cat’s office, Kara saw the instant swivel of the CEO’s chair as she turned away from the wall of screens in her office. Rising and moving toward them with predatory grace, she sighed, “Oh, good, you’re safe. I was just scanning the networks to see if there was some kind of doomed public transportation you might have decided to board while I was otherwise occupied.”

Even as Kara blushed and began to stammer, Carter easily placated his mother’s snark with a hug. “Are you ever going to let that go?”

Hugging back with full strength, she huffed, “What? The part about my assistant losing track of my son? Or my son losing his senses and running off to Super stalk National City’s resident hero?”

“Both parts,” he laughed, happy to hear the playfulness behind his mother’s sarcastic jab.

Running her hand through his curls, she studied his face for several moments. Kara knew by the slight increase in the smaller blonde’s heartbeat that she was noting the signs of Carter’s earlier distress. Her expression, however, showed no sign of wavering.

“Fine, then do tell what you two were off doing.”

In an impressively smooth delivery, Carter stated, “I saw an amazing stratocumulus cloud formation on the ride over that I thought Kara would enjoy.”

Humming at what she suspected was either a lie or a half-truth, she rubbed his arm before releasing him completely and turning back toward her desk. “Spend a lot of time studying clouds, Kiera?”

The hero stumbled in mid-stride, nearly taking out part of the sofa to her left. Carter shook his head at the sight, his lips twitching with amusement. Adjusting her glasses, she redirected the conversation as quickly as possible. “Hey, buddy, I set out some of your favorite snacks on the balcony—brain food for while you do your homework.”

Unleashing his grin finally, he replied, “Thanks, Kara. You’re the best.”

Cat marveled at the rapport between her son and Kara—how uninhibited he was in his conversation and actions around her. When he moved easily into her hug, returning it with equal enthusiasm, she turned away. Neither saw the rapid blink of her eyes.

When she did face them again, she startled at the way Kara watched her as she hugged Carter. Light glinting off her glasses obstructed much of her gaze, but Cat could tell it was an intuitive expression that left her discomfited by the exposure.

Knowing better than to address the moment, Kara tightened her grip on Carter briefly before letting go. Smile achingly sweet as she looked at him, she ruffled his hair. “If you need anything, you know where to find me.” She began once more for the exit. “I’ll be back with this afternoon’s layouts soon, Ms. Grant.”

“Glad that I still qualify as at least one of your job priorities.” The CEO internally chastised herself for the affectionate edge she heard in her voice. Kara merely smiled before turning and hurrying off. When Cat finally stopped watching the empty space where her assistant had just been, she realized Carter was calmly observing her.

With a perturbed click of her tongue, she took her seat once more while slipping on a pair of her reading glasses. “Do your homework, Carter—and if you make yourself sick on Maltesers, I’m banning them and Kara from my balcony.”

Hitching his backpack up on his shoulder, he turned for the balcony. Before he let the door fall shut behind him, though, he offered, “You should try pronouncing her name correctly when she’s actually in the room.”

At the sound of his mother’s dismissive huff, he headed outside, shaking his head in amusement. He smiled at the way the patio furniture now sat fully within the late afternoon sunshine. Grabbing the bag of his favorite candy, he flopped down onto the love seat, positioned in the most brightly lit portion of the balcony.

Soon enough, he had surrounded himself with practically every item in his bag as he began to work steadfastly through his assignments. When he heard Kara return, he couldn’t help but look up to watch her and his mother. With the balcony door shut, he couldn’t hear their conversation, but all he really needed to know, he could see.

Carter knew well his mother’s reputation. Kindness was not part of Cat Grant’s professional repertoire. She had no bandwidth for leniency or forgiveness. She most assuredly would never show softness while running her kingdom.

And yet.

With Kara, her eyes shone in a way Carter never saw, even when his mother looked at him. Of course, she smirked and chided and made a great show at annoyance and irritation whenever Kara was around. Beneath the ruse, however, Carter saw the anticipation, the contentment, the _truth_ in his mother’s eyes whenever she looked at Kara.

He watched quietly as Kara delivered the layouts she had promised, walking them around his mother’s desk and laying them out before her. She bent closer to explain something and he found himself smiling at the way she sneaked glances toward his mom as she studied whatever it was Kara had explained to her. With a nod, his mom said something that spread delight across Kara’s expression in broad, bright strokes. When she laughed, the strong, full tone easily made it through the balcony door. The CEO flicked her fingers toward her office exit, but Carter could see the warmth lighting her gaze as she watched Kara leave.

An hour later, when Kara returned, Cat hardly noted her presence. She moved around the office, tidying the sitting area and pouring a tumbler of scotch, which she placed within Cat’s reach as the CEO continued typing relentlessly. Kara smiled fondly before seeking out Carter on the balcony. “Hey, buddy.”

She stopped at the footrest closest to the door, popping it open and removing a blanket from its storage space. She wrapped it around his shoulders with a smile. “I think your mom is going to be a little late in leaving tonight. Do you want me to call her driver to take you home early? Or do you want me to get you anything to eat before I go?”

“No, I’m okay here, Kara. I’ll make sure my mom doesn’t stay too late.” His gaze shifted beyond her to where he could see his mom working. When he looked back, he added, “Thank you for taking care of her the way you do.”

The hero fidgeted with the hem of her cardigan, her blush apparent even in the oncoming night. “It’s my job to make her job easier, Carter.”

With more certainty than most adults possessed, he replied, “You go way beyond your job description, Kara. You make everything better for both of us.”

Knowing there was no way she could speak at that moment without her voice betraying her, she leaned in and kissed his forehead. Her eyes sparkled behind her glasses as she offered him a grateful smile.

She turned and hurried back into the office, collecting the corrected layouts and wishing the CEO a good night. A distracted hum Cat’s only verbal response, she waited until Kara had hurried off to return the layouts before she paused long enough to watch her leave.

Finally satisfied after another half hour of rewrites, she emailed back marked-up copy to her writers and shut down her laptop. Grabbing the tumbler of scotch Kara had deposited onto her desk at some point before leaving, she made her way out onto her balcony.

Carter had curled himself into the corner of the love seat, legs tucked beneath him and his upper body wrapped in the blanket Kara had brought him before she left. At the sight of his mother’s approach, he spread the blanket open enough so she could wrap herself in one side while he held onto the other.

“Don’t you think it’s a little cold to be out here still?”

She felt the blanket shift around her with Carter’s shrug. “It’s not that bad. Besides, your balcony has the best views of the city.”

“Good views of cloud formations?”

He knew by her tone what was coming. Deciding to face the conversation, he sat up and pulled his shoulders back slightly. “We weren’t looking at clouds. I was upset when I arrived, and Kara was giving me time to let some things out.”

He saw the disappointment in his mother’s jade gaze before she could blink it away. “I’m glad she was able to be there for you when you arrived.”

“You know she considers both of us family.” He paused, biting his bottom lip in thought. “She told me about losing her parents when she was thirteen.”

He caught the sideways glance at his words, the knowing nod. “I hope you respect how much she trusts you if she’s talked with you about her childhood.”

With a nervous flex of his fingers, he nodded, understanding the deeper truth of his mother’s statement. “She said no one really knew how to be normal around her.”

Her lips dipped into a disapproving frown at the thought of someone so extraordinary ever surrounded by _normal_. With a soft huff of incredulity, she asked, “Did I ever tell you she had the audacity to declare herself ‘not special’ during her job interview?”

She reveled in the sound of her son’s amused protest. “Does she know what a terrible liar she is?”

“I suspect she thinks she’s quite convincing.”

“Today, she told me she would do anything for us.”

“I know she would.”

She could feel her son’s gaze, strong and steady, and frowned at its insistence. “Carter, I am not in the habit of needing to state obvious facts to you, and I am not starting now.”

When she did turn to look at him, she feigned annoyance at his prescient smirk. With a nudge to his shoulder, she broke his focus and set him to laughing at her stubbornness, even when only around him.

As they sat in silence, watching the sunset-kissed skyline slip into darkness, Cat slowly finished her scotch while running her fingers through her son’s soft curls. At her last sip, she set down the tumbler and began to tell Carter to gather his things.

“Look!” Carter shifted up in his spot, blanket slipping from his shoulders as he pointed toward the horizon visible between skyscrapers.

Cat narrowed her eyes as she followed her son’s excited gesturing. City light glanced off the form zig-zagging effortlessly among the buildings along the edge of National City’s business district, crimson cape and golden curls flowing in the currents.

Affection tugging at the corners of her mouth, she shook her head. “ _This_ is why we’re sitting out here, freezing to death when we could be heading home to hot chocolate and marshmallows?”

“Come on, Mom. We can have hot cocoa any time. I only get to see her in uniform when I’m here late with you.”

With a click of her tongue, she leaned closer and wrapped her arms snugly around her son. She knew moments like this were slipping away so swiftly, and she needed to be vigilant enough to enjoy each one as much as she could.

“How about next time she decides to rearrange my balcony for you, I make her wear the suit?”

“Mom!”

His surprised glare quickly melted into laughter as she cuddled him closely and kissed his cheek several times.

High above, a form soared quietly past CatCo Tower, slowing to a hover at the unexpected sounds of joy coming from below. Focusing her telescopic vision, the hero felt a protective warmth fill her at what she saw.

The feeling remained strong within her as she continued her patrol around the city. It was still there as she glided through the window of her loft and landed with a solid thump of her boots and the heavy rustle of her cape. Quickly shedding her uniform, she slipped into fleece-lined sweat pants and a CatCo T-shirt before heading to the kitchen.

Grabbing a bottle of water and the extra pizza Alex had ordered for her the night before, she flopped down onto the couch and pulled out her laptop. Quickly zapping the pizza with a controlled dispersion of her heat vision, she began to make her way through the pie while beginning the research she had decided on during her evening patrol. After an hour of searching (of which forty minutes went to watching puppy videos that made her laugh and cry in equal measure), Kara settled on what she thought was a satisfactory plan.

She retrieved her phone, quickly pulling up one of her most recent text threads, and shot off the message: _How many puppies do you think we’ll still have this Saturday?_

Almost instantly, her phone rang. Laughing, she answered with, “You’re still not getting the whole text message concept, are you?”

“I am busy, _ó chrýsion._ I don’t have time for all your tappity tappity texting.” The speaker’s accent flowed through the open line with mellifluent ease. “Now, why are you taking puppy inventory? Planning on another Super rescue?”

Kara flushed at the teasing. “I actually have a favor to ask, but it requires all the puppies.”

“I’m approving adoption applications for the puppies now, but I won’t be releasing them to their new families until after this weekend. What is your favor?”

She quickly outlined her idea, ending with a hopeful, “What do you think?”

“I think your boy is very lucky that you care so deeply for him.”

Kara spluttered her sip of water at the choice of words. As she wiped away droplets that dribbled down her chin, she quickly corrected, “He’s not _my_ boy, D. He’s Ms. Grant’s son.”

“Where I come from, the whole community is responsible for the care and protection of a child.”

“Yeah, well, child rearing is a little different here in the States.” She tilted the phone slightly away as she mumbled softly, “In the twenty-first century.”

“I am not too ancient to hear your mutterings.” Kara rolled her eyes at the reply. “Bring your boy on Saturday. Bring your Catherine as well. I would like to finally meet her.”

With a dispirited sigh, the hero countered, “She’s not mine either, D. And you might not want to call her Catherine.”

“What, I should call her one of the animals I rescue?”

Snickering at the disapproving tone, Kara finished, “I’ll let you know tomorrow if Ms. Grant agrees to this. Either way, thank you for helping. It means a lot to me.”

“All who are important to you are important to me, _ó chrýsion_ —even that foolhardy sister of yours who charges headfirst into frays even gods know well enough to fear.”

“I’ll be sure to let Alex know,” she replied with a laugh. “Good night, D.”

Once the line closed, Kara set her phone and laptop down onto the coffee table and floated up from the couch. Closing her eyes, she focused on releasing her control over her hearing. As the totality of city sounds poured through her, she rapidly scanned for signs that she might need to do one final patrol. With a pleased sigh, she realized her city was peaceful that night. Quickly going through her evening routine, she slipped beneath her sheets and settled in for a rare, restful sleep.

In the morning, however, she awoke to the nervous realization that Cat might not be as amenable to her idea as she hoped. After all, she had no idea what the CEO’s thoughts were on pets. The fact that Carter had never even had a hamster or fish left her suddenly fearing that Cat’s intense germophobia might extend beyond her views about the contaminating potential of humans.

The hero’s worry intensified throughout the morning, leaving her a skittish mess by the time Cat arrived. As she held out the CEO’s latte and forced as convincing a smile as possible, she watched Cat saunter off her elevator and slip off her sunglasses, her jade gaze narrowed with suspicion.

Pursing her lips for an unnerving beat, she finally took hold of her latte and continued for her office. As she sashayed away from Kara, she tossed over her shoulder, “Do us all a favor, Kiera, and don’t ever go into espionage.”

“Y-yes, Ms. Grant,” the hero quickly replied as she hurried through the wake of her favorite of Cat’s perfumes: a spicy scent with a floral kiss and a soft sandalwood finish. Breathing deeply, she allowed the scent to calm her before launching into a rundown of the CEO’s schedule for that day.

After a few changes, Cat waved away her assistant, watching her curiously over the rims of her glasses as she settled at her own desk. However, the CEO soon found herself needing to focus on incompetence coming from several divisions, combined with breaking news of a chemical leak that suspiciously coincided with Kara disappearing on an extended errand run.

By late afternoon, the CEO had resolved most of the issues with her staff, and Kara had returned to the office, wearing a different outfit and smelling of an institutional cleaning agent that Cat thought only marginally passed as bath soap. The hero’s anxious behavior from that morning, however, seemed only to have amplified. Each time she came to deliver messages or paperwork, she hovered and stammered before giving up and hurrying off dejectedly.

On the fifth such encounter, Cat loudly dropped her glasses onto her desk as she snapped, “Kiera, did you receive some horrible test results?”

Stymied by the unexpected question, Kara nearly tripped over her feet in an attempt to stop her latest departure and turned to face the CEO once more.” What? N-no, Ms. Grant.”

“Did _I_ receive horrible test results?”

“No! I mean, are you—should I be expecting—are-are you all right, Ms. Grant?”

With a sigh more dramatic than the Santa Ana winds, the smaller blonde rose from her chair and strode around to the front of her desk, tugging down her sweater with a subtle shimmy of her hips as she did. Leaning against the desk edge, she crossed her arms and pinned Kara in place with a steady glare.

“I’m _fine_ , Kiera. I would, however, like to know why my assistant has been scurrying in and out of my office all day, looking increasingly as though someone were threatening to drop-kick her puppy.”

Even though she flinched at the too-vivid visual, Kara latched onto the segue the CEO had so unwittingly provided her. “It’s funny you should mention a puppy,” she began with a chuckle, readjusting her glasses and dipping her head slightly to the side—nervous tells Cat found entirely too enchanting. “Be-because that’s kind of what I wanted to, um, to talk with you about.”

At the subtle lift of Cat’s eyebrow inviting Kara to continue, the hero breathed deeply and pressed on. “You see, I do volunteer work at a rescue shelter.” She smirked in deference to the _Of course you do_ eye roll Cat offered in response. “Right now, we’ve got a lot more puppies than we normally would have.”

She swallowed back the part about how her Super alter-ego was the reason for the shelter’s unanticipated puppy boon. “I’m sure they’ll all be adopted in no time, but right now, we’ve got a lot of little balls of fur who need a lot of attention.”

“And this is the part where I pray to whatever deities might actually be out there that you stop burying the lede and get to the point.”

“Right!” The hero practically jumped to attention at Cat’s pointed prodding. “Right, so I was doing some research last night regarding ways to help students alleviate their stress.” She saw the instant sharpening of Cat’s focus. “And I learned about how some colleges have been setting up ‘puppy rooms’ for students who are feeling overly stressed from their workloads and whatever else they’re dealing with. They can go to these rooms and hang out and play with puppies—because who doesn’t like to play with puppies, right?”

Her slightly too-jubilant laughter quickly died with the downward curve of Cat’s lips. “S-so what I was thinking was maybe Carter would like to visit the rescue shelter this weekend and-and spend some time hanging out with the puppies while we have them.”

Before Cat could respond, she quickly added, “N-not that he’s stressed over his school work! He’s totally got that under control, no worries there. I just thought he might enjoy getting a chance to forget about everything else, even if only for a little while.”

Unfolding her ams and resting her hands flat against her desk, Cat leaned back and stared with a purposefully neutral expression that always made Kara more uncertain than her sternest glares. “You did this research because of my son.”

Even though Kara knew it wasn’t a question, she gave a nod so enthusiastic, her glasses slipped askew. “I just want to help.”

_“I just want to be useful. To somebody. I want to be worthwhile.”_

“I think it sounds like a great idea.” For a moment, Cat feared the possibility of Kara collapsing with relief right in front of her. Sighing to deflect from her concern, she continued, “You are allowed to have those every now and again, Kiera.”

The hero’s demeanor brightened instantly. “Thank you, Ms. Grant. I know Carter is going to have a great time.”

“I’m fairly certain he’ll be sold the moment he learns it’s your idea.” She reveled at the jubilant flush of color that spread across Kara’s skin. “He’s grown very fond of you. I know he opens up to you about things happening at school that he doesn’t tell me.”

A quickly raised hand stopped Kara before she could reply. “It isn’t a castigation—simply one of the more difficult points of parenting I’m struggling to accept. We all reach an age when we realize we need better confidants than our parents.” She quirked her lips as deflection. “I reached that realization with my own mother when I was, oh, five months old.”

Kara huffed knowingly at the insinuation.

“I have been exceedingly lucky with how open Carter has remained with me so far.” She captured Kara’s gaze with her own, tilting her head slightly to the side. With a bearing far more affectionate than Kara had ever expected to see directed at her (though had secretly hoped for with impossible persistence), the smaller blonde finished, “My only hope has always been that when he began to turn elsewhere for advice and support, he would choose wisely. I’m proud to see he’s far surpassed my expectations once again.”

The swell of emotion at Cat’s words practically crushed the breath from her lungs, made it impossible for her to maintain eye contact without fearing she would break Cat’s unbending rule about tears at the office. Twisting her fingers in what would have been painful angles for a human, she softly replied, “It’s my pleasure to help Carter, Ms. Grant. I know how hard an age thirteen can be.”

_“She told me about losing her parents when she was thirteen.”_

In a move that seemed to surprise Cat almost as much as it surprised Kara, the CEO reached out, pressed the pad of her index finger under Kara’s chin long enough to encourage the hero to meet her gaze once more. “Carter said you’ve shared with him some of what you went through in high school after you lost your parents.” She stopped, forced back the thought always lurking along the edges of this truth.

_So much more than just your parents. So much more than a child should ever have to bear._

Kara shifted uncomfortably at the CEO’s silence. “I’m sorry, Ms. Grant. I-I thought it would help him to know that I wasn’t just saying I understood. I wanted him to know I went through it, too. But I didn’t mean to upset him or you.”

With a slight shake of her head, Cat relaxed her expression, smoothed the normal pique of her voice. “You did nothing wrong. I only mention it because I wanted to thank you. It means a lot to me that you’ve opened yourself up to such a difficult memory as a way to help my son.”

Not wanting to put Kara on the spot any longer, the smaller blonde rose once more to full height and began for her desk chair, giving the hero’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze as she passed. With a voice far steadier than she actually felt, she added, “Just send the shelter’s address to my phone along with when Carter should arrive.”

As she returned to the article she had been editing, she added, “And please place our regular dinner order with Jade Dragon. I need your help with reviewing layouts this evening. I suspect you might have particular insight into the holiday spreads.”

Kara tripped unceremoniously in mid-stride at Cat’s final statement, knowing the holiday issue featured a special section on Supergirl. She mumbled something the CEO didn’t bother to figure out, too amused by how easily excitable the hero could be.

The rest of the week passed with the regular frenzy of stressful days and late nights that always accompanied special issue releases—not to mention the added pressure of a particularly brutal standoff with a Fort Rozz prisoner that left several blocks of the city’s financial district in disarray and the hero needing to recharge overnight in her sunbed at the DEO. By the time Friday evening arrived, both blondes couldn’t be more relieved for the impending respite.

As Kara gathered her things and straightened her desk before leaving, she looked up in time to see Cat shutting down her laptop and collecting her coat and bag. “You’re leaving on time this evening.” The hero straightened to full height, her unconscious response whenever the CEO moved closer.

Cat brandished the magazine in her grip with a victorious shake. “After all we’ve been through to get this beast of yuletide merriment and cheer ready for dissemination, you bet your ass I’m leaving on time, Kiera.”

She noted with amusement the way Kara wrinkled her nose whenever the CEO cursed in any way. “Will you be reading the issue again?”

“Not likely. I _should_ take it home and bronze it—or burn it, for all the trouble it’s caused us. Instead, I will be giving this copy to Carter for his S-Files.”

At the confused tilt of Kara’s head, she tapped the cover photo of an unnervingly intimate candid shot of the Girl of Steel, snapped by James during one of her recent heroic escapades. She instantly reached for her glasses in what Cat had realized was part nervous confirmation and part calming palliative.

“He collects everything he can on both our Superior Kryptonians, although I can’t help but notice his Supergirl collection long ago outpaced what he had on the Man of Steel.” With a shrug, she began once more for her elevator. “What can I say? I’ve raised a son with impeccable taste.”

Striding into the elevator car, she turned toward the hero, her expression unnervingly unguarded. “Good night, Kiera. See you tomorrow.”

Once the doors shut and Kara was alone, she leaned against her desk, so distracted by Cat’s comments, she didn’t realize how heavily she was leaning until she heard the telling groan of the desktop beneath her palms. With a deep sigh, she hurried for the stairs, launching herself up toward the roof access as soon as she confirmed she was alone. By the time she reached the top of CatCo Tower, she’d already shed her civilian clothes and was ready for flight.

Taking a quick lap around the city to steady her nerves and release the day’s pent-up energy, she fell into a steadier pace for her second pass. With a tap to her earpiece, she gave a command and waited for the line to connect.

“What happened to your dependence on tappity tappity texting?”

With a snort carried away on the currents sweeping rapidly past her, Kara replied, “I never text and fly. Not since the goose incident,” she added with mild chagrin.

“Are you checking to see that all is ready for our guest tomorrow?”

“Actually, I was hoping for another favor.”

“Is it not customary to collect one favor before asking for another?”

Dropping in altitude, the hero sailed over a rooftop holiday party, smiling in response to how the guests waved and cheered as she passed. As she rose once more, she replied, “Call this favor an addendum to the original favor.” She drew a bracing breath. “I’d like to come tomorrow as Supergirl rather than Kara Danvers and—and I need a reason why.”

Several beats of silence finally gave way to a sigh. “Would the Daughter of Krypton ask of me dishonesty on my first meeting with Catherine Grant and her son?”

“I-I would.”

“Even knowing that truth is integral to my—”

“Secret identity?” She felt only mildly guilty at her impudence, even as she heard the grumble of irritation through the open line.

“That is a lie of omission I begrudgingly accept—and only at the insistence of your cousin and his eccentric associate.”

“Can’t you begrudgingly accept this one, too?”

“Why do you not wish to spend time with your boy as Kara Danvers?”

“Something his mother said to me this evening put the idea into my head. Plus, I think hearing that even the Girl of Steel had difficulty fitting in might carry more weight than if it were coming from just Kara Danvers again.”

Kara could hear the disagreement thick in the tone even as she heard, “I will do this for you for the return promise that, when the moment allows you to tell your truth to your Catherine, you will do so without hesitation.” Voice deepening under the weight of memory, she admonished, “They are with us for so brief a time, _ó_ _chrýsion_. Do not let fear steal away any more of this precious gift within your reach.”

“I promise, D. Thank you.” Unwilling to speak any more on the subject, Kara closed the line and spent the next several hours patrolling far beyond her normal route. By the time she finally returned home, she had managed to reduce her nervous energy enough to fall into a shallow sleep half an hour before, across town, Carter awoke with a rejuvenation of his own nervous energy.

Rushing through his morning preparation, he raced downstairs, sliding halfway across the living room on socked feet in an attempt to slow his trajectory. From her spot at the kitchen island, his mother peered over her second cup of coffee, hair sleep-tousled and eyes glassy and half-lidded. “Where is this level of energy when I practically need a cattle prod to get you out of bed for school?”

“Promise me puppies at school and you won’t need a cattle prod.” His blue eyes gleamed impishly as he kissed her cheek on the way to grabbing his favorite cereal from the pantry.

She watched him pour a mountain of unnaturally colored circles into a bowl and douse them in milk. With a shudder not entirely faked, she collected her mug and slid from her seat. “And to think yesterday I was bragging to Kara about your impeccable taste.”

Swallowing a massive mouthful, he teased, “Who do you think introduced me to this cereal in the first place?”

“You will brush _twice_ after eating that. Maybe that will be enough to stop the corn syrup and dyes from completely destroying your teeth.”

She did well to hide her own smile at the sound of her son’s mirthful laughter. Heading back up to her bedroom suite, she carefully went through her own preparations, spending extra time ensuring her “casual” appearance was crisper than she usually cared for it to be on weekends. When she reappeared, she caught the knowing glance from her son. “You only get one shot at a first impression, Carter.”

He rolled off the couch and clicked off the television, slipping into his shoes and hurrying to meet his mother on her way to the door. “You’re the Queen of All Media, Mom. I think you’ve already made your first impression.”

He stumbled playfully at the feel of his mother’s fist bumping into his shoulder. “Keep it up and you’re going to be living at that rescue shelter.”

“Puppies forever,” he cheered as he jogged ahead to ring for the elevator.

Exiting into the underground garage, they made their way to the section where Cat kept her selection of automobiles. Carter happily pumped a fist in the air when she pulled a key fob from her bag and deactivated the alarm on the sleek blue Jag that both Grants favored for weekend excursions.

As soon as they were free from the city’s confines, Cat shifted up into the highest gear, unleashing the Jag’s full power and zooming along the open highway toward their destination. The shelter was about twenty miles east, which took them into the desert scrub just outside the city’s limits. Cat watched with unchecked affection as her son sang along with his favorite songs, the worries and tension of the school week a memory left farther behind with every mile she put between them and home.

At the indicator chime from her GPS finally declaring their arrival, Cat and Carter scanned the roadside, both seeing the shelter’s signage at nearly the same moment. While Carter snickered softly, Cat clicked her tongue with exaggerated objection at the name: Prince and the Puppers Rescue.

“Mark Twain should sue for damages from whatever existential plane he currently roams,” she muttered as she turned down the narrow driveway. Smiling at his mother’s feigned disdain, Carter went back to staring out the window. The drive to the main building was at least a half mile from the highway. As they drove, he could see stables and a large fenced field in the distance.

“Carter, look.” The sharp surprise in his mother’s voice instantly drew his gaze forward.

“No way!” His eyes shone with excitement as he took in the sight awaiting them in front of the main building.

A woman of what Cat would describe as statuesque proportions leaned against the railing beside the building’s entrance. Deep chestnut waves of hair cascaded over one shoulder and when she saw the car moving toward her, a brilliant smile dazzled against her olive complexion.

Beside her, hovering in midair with her legs crossed casually beneath her as if sitting on solid ground, was the target of Carter’s total attention and adoration. Her cape fell in heavy pleats behind her, swinging freely as she floated.

When the hero followed her companion’s bright expression, Cat startled at the rapidity and power of her own smile. With poise the CEO noted came far more naturally in-uniform, the hero unfolded her long legs from beneath her, planting her boots solidly on the sidewalk.

“Did you know?”

Cat maneuvered into a spot, bracelets chiming softly along her wrist as she shifted into park. “No, I didn’t.” She turned to face her son. Anticipation suffused his cheeks a flattering rosy shade. “You’ll be careful?”

Knowing the deeper meaning of his mother’s words, Carter nodded resolutely. “I promise. I’ll follow her lead.”

“My wise son,” she sighed as she leaned forward and kissed his forehead.

They exited Cat’s Jag to the sight of both women approaching. Cat tilted her head back slightly as she focused on the more familiar of the two. “I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if you were to tell me you were drawn off-course by the power of puppies.”

The woman beside the hero laughed heartily, the sound uninhibited and strong. “She knows your weakness already, _ó chrýsion_ ,” drawing a flustered blush and sigh from beside her. Stepping forward, she extended a hand in greeting. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Catherine Grant. I am Diana Prince.”

The CEO nodded with satisfaction at the strength of the handshake offered her. When she looked up (and _up_ ) into the rich gaze appraising her, she wondered at the unexpected percipience within the russet depths. “The _Prince_ of the Puppers, I take it?”

“Guilty,” she laughed again. “I take great grief over the name I chose.” She cast a deliberate glance toward the hero, who rolled her eyes in a manner both Grants recognized well. “However, I make no apologies. I love the playfulness of your language.”

With a pointed pursing of her lips, the CEO queried, “Is that an observation about English or _human_ languages?”

Cat’s question earned an amused chuckle. “She warned me your curiosity was formidable. I am not alien—merely Greek.”

The CEO’s gaze languidly roamed the features observing her in equal measure. “Clearly, I have been visiting the wrong parts of Greece.”

She caught the sudden bristling energy from the caped hero, enjoyed the frisson of jealousy that flashed quickly through the sharp blue gaze. “Besides,” she continued, “friendship with National City’s resident hero precludes your ability to claim you are ‘merely’ anything.”

Bowing her head in deference, Diana explained, “It has been many years since I left my home. In that time, I have traveled the world and made many unique friendships.”

Kara stepped forward and Cat found herself surprised by how even the Girl of Steel seemed dwarfed by the woman beside her. “I actually met Diana through my cousin. They sort of run in the same league of friends sometimes.”

Frowning at the exchange of annoyance and amusement over something that eluded her understanding, Cat decided to regain control of the conversation. “What exactly brings you here, Supergirl? I was under the impression I would be entrusting my assistant with my son—not that I don’t trust him in your care. After all, you were the one to rescue him when my assistant lost him.”

Diana practically glowed with pleasure at the way this woman could so easily fluster her friend. “I’m afraid Kara is dealing with an unexpected family situation today. She was going to call you to reschedule, but the puppies we have right now will soon enough be gone. Almost all of them have been adopted and will be leaving the shelter as early as Monday. I convinced her that Supergirl would be an acceptable substitute in her absence.”

She turned to the young man standing beside his mother. Extending her hand to him, she asked, “Will this be acceptable to you, Carter?”

Pushing himself to take the offered hand, he shook with the power and confidence his mother had taught him to always use with a handshake. “I think so,” he laughed as he watched the Hero of National City shift in place, hands instinctively resting on her hips.

“Glad that’s settled.” Cat kissed her son’s forehead. “Be good. Enjoy the puppies. I will be back in a few hours.” She shifted her attention up once more to meet the warm russet gaze watching her. “Thank you for letting Carter spend time here today. I know this is first and foremost a business.”

Nodding in acknowledgement, Diana replied, “It is, but as I told Kara, those who are important to her are important to me. She values you both a great deal.”

Emboldened by what she’d just heard, Cat shifted her gaze toward the cape-clad hero. “I value her far more than I think she knows.” Spinning the key fob on her finger, she moved once more toward the driver’s side of her car. “Have fun,” and she slipped into the Jag and was soon zooming up the drive toward the main road.

Placing a hand on the young man’s shoulder, Diana called, “Come, _Carteraki_ _._ We have work to do before fun.”

“What kind of work?”

“We must exercise the horses.” She watched the uncertainty rise within his expression. “Have you ever ridden a horse before?”

“Do merry-go-round horses count?”

Turning toward the hero, she exclaimed, “I like him greatly, _ó chrýsion.”_

Kara chuckled as she fell in-step between Diana and Carter, watching him blush at the teasing. She wrapped her arm around his slim shoulders as they headed toward the barns. “Don’t worry, Carter. We can ride together.”

The dark-haired woman glared reprovingly. “Stay _on_ the horse this time. And leave the horse on the ground.”

Pressing her lips together to hide her grin, the hero shrugged at Carter’s surprise. “I promise.”

For the next hour, the trio raced across the fields surrounding the shelter on the various horses housed in the nearby barns. Carter even grew bold enough to ride by himself toward the end, though nowhere near as swiftly as Diana rode. Even Kara held back as the duo watched her take off across the hillside, encouraging her mare to speeds most would find too daunting to try.

When she returned, she was radiant with joy. “Whenever I miss my home, I ride,” she explained as they returned to the stables to cool down and feed the horses.

Dusting her hands off after bringing down one more bale of hay, the hero strode close to Carter’s side and whispered, “I think work time is finished.” She shot a look toward Diana, who nodded and waved them off. “Want to hitch a ride back to the main building?”

“Really?” He gaped at the offer and whooped in surprise at the feel of Kara’s arms locking around him and lifting him into the sky. Even the short distance back to the shelter was an amazing rush that left him speechless when they landed once more.

“Come on, buddy,” the hero smiled as she ruffled his hair, “we’ve got puppies to meet.”

Carter obediently joined her as they headed inside, hiding his amusement at the telling slip of the endearment only one person ever called him.

Inside, she showed him into one of adoption visiting rooms. “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

By the time he had settled onto the floor in a cross-legged position, Kara had returned, her arms cradling six adorable, squirming puppies. Gasping at the sight of brown and black fluffiness with floppy ears and cold, wet noses, Carter helped her place them all down on the puppy pads spread out around the room. “They’re so fluffy!”

Kara lifted one of the puppies protectively as the other five tumbled and yipped and clamored for Carter’s attention. “Makes it even better to snuggle with them.”

“Where are they from? Where’s their mom?”

With a sigh tinged with sadness, she explained, “I actually found them during one of my evening patrols. I couldn’t find the mother, so I called Diana and asked her what to do. She instantly told me to bring them to her.”

As she spoke, she nuzzled into the soft fur of the puppy she continued to hold. “I helped her bottle-feed and care for them up to this point.” She offered the puppy she held to Carter. “All of them have grown to relatively the same size, minus this little guy. He doesn’t seem to mind though.”

In response to her words, the puppy nipped at Carter’s fingers as he scooped him up from Kara’s hands. When the puppy curled into the young boy’s lap, he looked up at Kara, grinning excitedly. “He’s so soft and tiny.”

“Don’t tell the others, but he’s my favorite.” She winked at his laughter and settled down beside him. Instantly, she found herself being conquered by inquisitive puppies snuffling and trying desperately to climb all over her.

As they played with the puppies, Kara watched Carter carefully, relieved to see him relaxed in a way she hadn’t seen in far too long. “I understand things have been difficult at school.”

He shrugged slightly. “Sometimes, being a teenager sucks.”

Smiling at the memory of similar words from their last conversation, Kara nodded. Carter cautiously pressed, “It must have been even worse for you.”

Painful memories she normally would keep at bay around Carter misted the hero’s gaze. “It’s definitely a part of my life I am happy is behind me.” A sad smile touched her lips. “Did you know I spent a year after my arrival learning everything I’d need to know to be able to go to school?”

“Supergirl needed tutoring?”

“Something like that,” she countered with an affectionate nudge. “There was a lot I needed to learn, both academically and socially, before I could ever hope to pass as human. I was very good at the academics—and terrible at the socializing.”

Carter nodded in instant understanding. “Sounds familiar,” he sighed as he carefully stroked the ears of the puppy in his lap.

“I never really figured out how to belong among those my age. Kryptonian culture and customs are— _were_ very different from here. It was painful, though, to consider relinquishing them when they were all I had left from my home.”

The feel of Carter’s hand taking hold of hers drew her from her remembrance. With an embarrassed frown, she wiped away a tear threatening to fall. “My enhanced abilities didn’t do me any favors either. I struggled for a long time with adapting to them. I was terrified I might hurt someone while I was learning to control my powers. It all added up to the other kids always seeing me as too different, no matter how hard I tried to blend in.”

She watched as Carter absorbed her words, his features crinkled in a way Kara knew meant he was carefully considering all she’d just revealed to him. When he looked up, Kara could practically feel the strength of the kindness in his beautiful blue eyes. “I wish I had been there with you. I think we would have been great friends.”

The shy smile he received in response was pure Kara. “I think we’re pretty great friends now.”

“Me, too” he agreed as the tiny puppy in his lap whimpered for more attention.

In time, the puppies slowly wore themselves out. Seeing Carter beginning to wind down as well, Kara carefully collected all the puppies minus the smallest of the litter. When she returned from placing the pups back in their pen, she found Carter beginning to nod off, the tiny puppy tucked safely into the collar of his sweater. Floating up over the room’s closed half-door, she settled in beside him, tugging her cape from beneath her and wrapping it around his shoulders.

They were still in almost the same position a half hour later when Cat returned to collect her son. Carter had scooted closer, resting his head on the hero’s shoulder as he dozed. The puppy slept as well, his body covered by Carter’s sweater and his tiny head pressed against Carter’s pulse point. Digging out her phone, the smaller blonde prepared to snap a photo, freezing when she realized her every move was being observed.

Bright gaze stared at her with an intensity that sent a spike of warmth through her abdomen. She stared back, enraptured by the raw openness in the hero’s expression, the willing capitulation to something dark and desperate in her gaze. Cat ached at the vulnerability she saw in that moment, at the spark of fear in those boundless blue depths.

With one blink, Kara broke the moment, shifting her gaze down toward the young boy nestled against her. Gently, she nudged him awake, careful not to startle either him or the pup. “Carter, your mom is here.”

Stirring slowly, he stretched and instantly began to chuckle at the feel of the puppy licking his chin. When he looked up and saw his mom, he smiled more freely than she’d seen him smile in weeks. “Isn’t he cute?”

“Yes, he is. And the puppy is adorable as well,” she joked, pleased she could make him roll his eyes and laugh more.

Returning the pup to the hero, he smiled, “Thank you for today.”

“It was my pleasure, Carter.” She ruffled his curls and watched as he rose and exited the room. When she floated up onto her feet, she smiled and waved. “Take care.”

As they began for the exit, Cat chanced one more look over her shoulder. She would spend the rest of the weekend pondering the unexpected longing she saw bright as blue flame in the hero’s gaze.

By the time Monday morning arrived, Cat cautiously stepped from her elevator, uncertain of what to expect after Saturday’s admittedly confusing ending. When Kara offered over the CEO’s latte and her brightest Sunny Danvers smile, immediately launching into questions about Carter’s experience at the shelter and his time with Supergirl, however, something shifted within Cat—something cold and disillusioned.

Kara noticed immediately, her smile dimming into concern. “Is everything all right, Ms. Grant?”

Biting the inside of her cheek for focus, the CEO dropped stiffly into her chair and waved away her assistant. “I have a lot to take care of this morning, Kiera. I’m sure Carter can fill you in on his weekend whenever you see him again.”

“Oh.” Smile completely gone, the hero backed toward the office door, barely missing the coffee table as she did. “Of course, Ms. Grant. I-I’ll let you work.”

Each day that passed that week grew worse, as Cat pulled back from every one of Kara’s attempts to engage her on any level beyond work matters. The hero knew well the strength of Cat’s defensive walls—had thought she had finally made her way within, only to find the new walls she faced were even higher, even thicker, and far too impenetrable even for the Girl of Steel.

By Thursday evening, she’d grown so despondent, Winn and James both hovered helplessly beside her desk. Neither wanted to leave her in the clearly distraught state she was in, contrary to her arguments otherwise. “I’m _fine_ ,” she repeated once more for both their sake. “I think I just need to grab something to eat before I head up to Eliza’s.” She rose from her desk and circled around so she could kiss them both on their cheeks. “Merry Christmas. Go home.”

Not at all convinced but knowing that stubbornness was one of Kara’s greatest powers, they both hugged her before heading off together—a turn of events the hero had most definitely _not_ missed, even with all her focus on Cat throughout the week.

At the thought of the smaller blonde, Kara steeled herself and carefully approached Cat’s office. “Ms. Grant?” When the CEO made no move to acknowledge her, she nervously moved closer to the desk. “I-I just wanted to wish you and Carter a Merry Christmas before I left.”

With a blink slightly too long, Cat shifted her attention away from her laptop. In the instant before she could settle her expression into something safely indecipherable, Kara caught the flash of hurt pointed at her. “I will deliver your message to Carter. I’m sure he would wish you likewise in return.” Her tone, while not at all warm, had at least lost the trenchant sting it had held throughout the rest of the week. “Have a pleasant time in Midvale.”

When it was clear Cat had no intention of any further conversation, the hero offered the brightest smile she could manage before turning and leaving. Refusing to look back, she hurried to the stairwell and up to the roof, launching herself high into the cover of darkness without even bothering to change into her suit.

After soaring over the ocean for nearly an hour, she wiped absently at her face, blaming her closeness to the cresting waves below for the salty sting in her eyes, and redirected her flight path north toward Midvale. Alex would have arrived by then, which meant she would find her suitcase and the comfy fleece pajamas she longed to change into for snuggling and hot chocolate with her sister and Eliza. However, before even making it beyond National City’s limits, an impulsive thought changed her trajectory, veering her suddenly east.

All the puppies were gone from the shelter with one exception. The tiniest of the litter remained, unwanted apparently for the crime of being so small. In Kara’s already emotional state, the thought of the tiny puppy alone at the shelter was more than she could bear. Swooping down at the back entrance, just in case there were visitors still present, she smoothed back her hair before slipping inside. When she found the puppy, he was sleeping peacefully in the pen that now belonged solely to him.

“Hey, sweet puppers,” she sighed as she scooped him up and snuggled him closely. “How are you this evening?”

“I should ask you the same question.” She spun at the sound of Diana’s approach. “Shouldn’t you be heading home to celebrate the accepted appropriation of other deities’ holidays?”

Kara shook her head at Diana’s passive disapproval. “Never going to let that go, are you?”

“Of course not. But you are not here to listen to me reminisce about unjustly forgotten gods.”

Shuffling her boots nervously, Kara set her gaze on the tiny form in her arms as she stammered, “I-I was wondering if maybe I could take the puppy with me to Midvale.” She cradled the soft, warm body against her chest, fingers scratching behind his ears. “I know he doesn’t really understand what tomorrow is. I just hate the thought of him spending the holiday alone.”

At the feel of a hand, both solid and gentle, pressing against her cheek, she finally looked up. Deep russet eyes sparkled as they studied the hero. “You need to be made of steel, _ó chrýsion_ , if only to protect that beautifully open heart of yours.”

She pulled Kara close, engulfing hero and puppy alike in her strong embrace. She understood without words the misery behind the shuddering sigh that caressed her neck. She tried to soften her next statement as much as possible. “I wouldn’t hesitate usually to accommodate your wish, but our favorite little guest actually will be leaving us this evening.”

“What?” Kara’s expression flooded with a kaleidoscope of emotion. “Someone’s adopted him?”

Diana nodded while glancing at her watch. “In fact, they should be here at any moment.” Her expression brightened. “I need to check on the horses before I leave for the evening. Would you like to stay with him and make the hand-off when his new owner arrives?”

Even though the thought of having to say goodbye to the puppy made Kara feel as though she might cry right then, she still nodded at Diana’s request. “Will I need to get anything signed or collect any payment?”

“We already took care of the paperwork and they have provided not only payment but also a very generous donation.” She gave Kara’s bicep a strong squeeze. “You’ll let me know what you think of his new owner?”

At the sight of Kara nodding, Diana backed toward the exit, offering the hero a grateful wave before disappearing out the back.

Once alone with the puppy, Kara relocated to the alcove slightly separated from the reception area, to the cluster of beanbag seats arranged for visitors.

Sinking into one of the beanbags, she crossed her legs beneath her and shifted the puppy carefully to help him get comfortable. Silence passed for several moments as she watched the tiny creature burrow into the crook of her arm. When he finally settled, he rested his head on her shoulder with a soft whimper.

“So, you finally found your forever home, huh, puppers?” Nuzzling her nose into the soft nape of his neck, she whispered, “I know you’re going to be so loved wherever you go. I just—I wish you were going home to my friend, Carter. You met him already, remember? I know you would have loved him. He’s smart and shy and so very sweet.”

The puppy flickered his ears at the feel of Kara’s deep sigh washing over him. “I wish I’d tried to convince Cat of how perfect you would have been for Carter.” She let herself squish down into the beanbag chair, eyes unfocused as she blinked to clear away the sudden sting of tears. “I wish so many things were different, puppers. I wish I could find the courage to tell Cat the truth—about me, about how I feel. Instead, I’m afraid I’ve ruined everything between us. She can barely look at me anymore, and I don’t know how to fix it.” She sniffled despondently. “I-I wish I were as brave in a cardigan as I am in a cape.”

“I think it takes a greater level of courage to wear those cardigans in public than you’re giving yourself credit.”

With a yelp loud enough to startle the puppy in her arms, Kara began to tumble backward out of the bean bag chair. Before she or the pup made contact with the floor, however, she quickly righted herself and floated smoothly up to her feet.

Realizing too late what she had just done, she swallowed loudly enough for the woman opposite her to hear and forced herself to make eye contact. “Well.” Cat’s gaze shimmered, her lips a coy curl of delight. “Not the grand reveal I ever envisioned, but the inclusion of the puppy does add a certain whimsical charm.”

“Ms. Grant!” The hero felt her heart hammer frenetically against her ribs. “I-I—don’t—I didn’t—”

She stammered to a stop at Cat’s expression beginning to turn cold once again. The sight pierced her more painfully than a shard of kryptonite. Exhaustion engulfed her at the thought of trying to reclaim the lie causing her damage she could no longer bear. Instead, she turned and sank once more into the bean bag seat.

She struggled to draw enough air around the clench within her chest. “Please don’t hate me, Cat.” She barely whispered the words against the puppy’s scruff as he gently licked away the tears finally slipping down her cheeks.

In the ensuing silence, Kara shut her eyes, unable to handle the glare of disappointment or anger she expected Cat wore in the moment. She knew she had betrayed the CEO in the most unforgivable way, lying not only to her but to her son as well. Termination was the least damaging of her expectations.

When she instead felt the soft dip of the beanbag chair on either side of her hips, she couldn’t control how quickly her eyes snapped open. Were she human, she was certain she would have suffered some kind of medical calamity at the sight awaiting her.

Cat straddled Kara’s hips, settling comfortably into her lap as though she had done it a thousand times before. She held the hero’s face reverently as she stroked away her tears with delicate swipes.“Do you really think me so cruel, Kara?” She felt the hero shake at the sound of her name passing correctly from the smaller blonde’s lips—lips suddenly pressed against the shell of Kara’s ear. “I could _never_ hate you.”

The emotions Kara had struggled all week to suppress broke beneath the delicately whispered confession, ripped from her throat in a twisted sound that caused the puppy in her hold to yip in confusion. Long fingers slipped away her glasses, loosened her braid and scratched soothing patterns against her skin. Cat leaned closer, murmuring “My beautiful Kara,” along the perfect curve of her jaw. “Why can’t you stop pretending?”

When Kara tried to hang her head, Cat caught her chin between her thumb and forefinger, pressed upward with as strong a grip as she could. She watched once more the consuming desperation flickering in the hero’s gaze. This time, however, she let the moment last. When Kara spoke, it was in a wavering, barely audible whisper. “Because I’m afraid of not being enough.”

Cat’s inhalation was instant and sharp as she pulled Kara into her embrace, aching at the sound of broken sobs the hero couldn’t restrain.

When Kara was finally able to regain control, Cat shifted enough to meet gazes once more. “Come home with me tonight.” She smiled at the rush of color through the hero’s cheeks. “Help me give Carter his Christmas present.” She looked down at the now alert puppy wriggling in Kara’s loose but unbreakable hold. “Help us settle him into his new home.”

She leaned down, pressed a languorous kiss against Kara’s lips, dipped her tongue into the sweetness of Kara’s mouth, swallowed the responding sighs with a knowing smile. When she pulled back enough to take a breath, she finished, “Spend the night with me.” Running her hands through the hero’s thick golden waves, she whispered, “Let me swear to you in every way how you have nothing ever to fear with me.”

Kara nodded, her gaze shifting between Cat’s eyes and lips before giving in to what the smaller blonde had sparked within her. Leaning forward while carefully cradling the puppy between them, she kissed Cat again, losing herself finally to the desire she no longer had to fear.

With a steadying hand against Kara’s chest, Cat smiled and rose on legs barely steady enough to support herself. “Let’s go home, Kara.” She held out her hand, eyes aglow with wonder as she watched the hero float once more to her feet. Tucking Kara’s glasses into her shirt pocket with a smirk, she led them out of the shelter to her awaiting car.

As Cat began once more toward the heart of National City, Kara placed a quick call to her sister to say she would be arriving on Christmas morning rather than that evening. Embracing her role as the older sister with disturbing enthusiasm, Alex proceeded to deliver loudly inappropriate and unnervingly accurate teasing, all of which Cat overheard with growing amusement. The drive after that was comfortably quiet as Kara kept the puppy soothed and safe in her grasp while stealing glances at the smaller blonde, smiling unabashedly each time she was caught.

“You’re welcome to stare all you want now, darling. In fact, I wholeheartedly encourage it.” She let her happiness shine at the sight of Kara grinning and shaking her head, the relief she felt at the truth they now shared euphoric.

When they entered Cat’s penthouse together, much to Carter’s surprise, his mother was almost certain he was more excited by Kara’s presence (and what she knew he instantly assumed this meant) than the puppy the hero presented to him with one of her captivating smiles. Realizing the puppy was his to keep, however, set him to hugging both blondes repeatedly, often with the puppy being caught in the middle.

“Carter, that poor little dog is going to start thinking he’s a stress ball if you keep squishing him like that.” His mother held out her hands for him to relinquish the tiny creature. With a curious whine, the puppy snuffled against her palms before twisting himself down within her hold.

Slowly raising her hands, she kissed the soft fur atop his head, humming at the feel of his tongue swiping against the tip of her nose. She shot her incredulous audience a scathing smirk even as she cooed to the puppy, “They both look as though they assumed I was some kind of Cruella deVil.”

Kara snorted at the visual, making a mental note to keep that as a future Halloween party option. “So what do you think you’re going to name him, buddy?”

A nervous glint in his gaze, he stated, “I’d like it to be something unique—maybe even something only the three of us would truly understand.”

Recognizing what he was requesting, Kara replied without hesitation, “You could call him Shahrrehth. It’s Kryptonese for hope, one of the esteemed virtues of our culture and the virtue embraced by my family, the House of El.”

Returning the puppy to her son’s care, Cat reached out and tugged the hero close. She met Kara’s gaze long enough to convey the depth of her gratitude for the trust she had just extended to her son before placing a chaste kiss against her lips. “I think that’s a perfect name, don’t you, Carter?”

“Yeah,” he laughed, turning and heading off with the newly christened pup. “Come on, Shahrrehth, why don’t we go make hot cocoa before they scar both of us for life?”

After a far less appropriate kiss once Carter had left the room, Cat mused, “What does it say that he’s handling this with way more maturity than your adult sister?”

“That you’ve raised a gentleman and my sister isn’t nearly the grown up she pretends to be.”

Interlacing their fingers, Cat led Kara out into the living room, where Carter soon brought them mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallows and candy cane stirrers. When he and his tiny new friend settled in between his mom and Kara, the hero felt the ache return once more to her chest, only this time it was an ache of happiness unrestrained and threatening to overwhelm.

She had known many forms of love and family since coming to Earth. She felt it surround her whenever she was with Alex and Eliza—had come to recognize it more recently with the family she had chosen in Winn, James, Lucy, Vasquez, and J’onn.

This, however—this peace of spirit she had sought in vain since the explosion of her world had left her fractured and incomplete—this was the balm to wounds she thought impossible to heal.

This was home.

Later in the night, when only darkness covered them, Cat recorded her promises of devotion with intimate strokes and dexterous flourishes of her tongue against Kara’s trembling muscles and electrified nerves.

The music of Kara’s building pleasure rang through the midnight hour, its crescendo a surprising silence as her whole body arched in submission to Cat’s expert ministrations.

The smaller blonde never ceased in conducting her lover through enough aftershocks to leave her satiated and utterly spent. And when she crawled up the length of limbs left in post-orgasmic disarray, she gathered Kara close, smiling against the tousled curls fanned out against her pillow.

As she slipped beneath the pull of impending sleep, she pressed a kiss against Kara’s temple and sighed into the stillness, “Merry Christmas, my darling.”

**Author's Note:**

> Happy holidays! I loved both your story prompts, but I knew I needed to tackle this one. I share your love of the SuperCat family dynamic. Such a soft spot in my heart for young Carter and his two fierce protectors. Plus, Supergirl and puppies--what part of that phrase isn't there to love? 
> 
> I hope you don’t mind the surprise guest or the painfully pun-ny reason I added her. I couldn't resist. For this story, Diana has Gal Gadot's eye color and accent. The endearment Diana uses with Kara supposedly is "my golden one" in ancient Greek.


End file.
